Becoming a Confident Public Speaker: A Leader's Guide to Overcoming Speaking Anxiety

Summary: Public speaking anxiety affects leaders at every level, but the myth that great public speakers are born with natural talent simply isn't true. This comprehensive guide reveals how any leader can develop confidence and skill as a public speaker through proper preparation, consistent practice, and authentic communication techniques. Whether you're leading team meetings, delivering keynotes, or presenting to stakeholders, these proven strategies will help you transform nervousness into powerful, influential communication that drives results and builds your leadership presence.

Debunking Public Speaker Myths

"His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti."

Let's face it: when it comes to public speaking, most of us feel like the opening of this famous Eminem song. As someone who has done extensive public speaking throughout my career, I can definitely relate to this feeling. I can also tell you that even seasoned public speakers still resonate with the next line:

"He's nervous, but on the surface, he looks calm and ready."

Despite the outward appearance of confidence, there's a feeling of anxious anticipation that never really goes away. A mentor once told me that his father would often say, "If you have to speak and you're not nervous beforehand, you should sit down because you have nothing important to say." Indeed, research shows that anxiousness is often a symptom of caring deeply about something.

I share this upfront because there are many misconceptions about confident public speakers and their relationship to public speaking. We typically imagine the archetype of a bold, dynamic individual who is deep yet relatable, funny yet professional. It's a lofty and perhaps unrealistic standard. Nonetheless, we often assume that the talent and confidence of gifted public speakers come naturally. While most would agree that hard work happens behind the scenes, I've observed that people see this as secondary to a certain personality mix needed to excel as a public speaker. As a quiet, introverted, and more serious individual myself, I can assure you that's not the case.

What I've learned is that any personality or disposition can excel at public speaking by learning core principles and harnessing their innate qualities. That said, competence and confidence have a complex relationship: you have to be skilled to be confident, but you also have to be confident to be skilled. That's why today I want to discuss why public speaking is a valuable tool for any leader and how to grow in skill and confidence as a public speaker.

It's important to note that public speaking doesn't happen only from a stage. There are many applications of this skill in the modern workplace, including brainstorming sessions, all-hands meetings, sales calls, and team retreats. Whenever you need to translate an idea into tangible results across a group of people, public speaking will often be required. That's why every leader needs this skill in their toolbox. Leadership guru John Maxwell says that leadership is "influence, nothing more, nothing less." While much influence can be gained in one-on-one interactions, leaders still need to address their teams for vision casting and gaining alignment. Thus, while quiet and introverted leaders can succeed with fewer public interactions, they still need to be effective public speakers. To learn more about the strengths of introverted leaders, check out this article I wrote.

It's also worth noting that for extroverted and charismatic leaders, being comfortable with something doesn't mean you're good at it. Sometimes enjoying the spotlight or being overly talkative can be just as detrimental as being withdrawn. Like any skill, effectiveness as a public speaker boils down to practice and preparation.

The Building Blocks of Every Successful Public Speaker

The first crucial element is preparation. It's no exaggeration to say that around 80% of the battle with public speaking is won in the preparation stage. Studies on presentation effectiveness confirm that thorough preparation is the foundation of successful public speaking. This could include taking proper time to develop a well-structured keynote, memorizing your main points, designing a compelling slide deck, or printing handouts and support materials. This stage is about locking material into your long-term memory and making content more digestible for your audience. Most public speaking problems stem from lack of preparation. This is why I encourage leaders never to "wing it" when leading meetings or making important announcements. When you prepare well, you'll find your audience more engaged and bought into what you're saying, and delivering content will feel more natural. Both provide huge confidence boosts.

The next important factor is practice. While you can incorporate practice into your prep stage (like speaking in front of a mirror), you simply have to get your reps in as a public speaker. Find opportunities to speak in front of people. Here are some suggestions:

• Start with low-stakes activities like giving a small presentation at a team meeting or leading an icebreaker

• Join a local public speaking club like Toastmasters

• If you attend a church, ask for public speaking opportunities there

• Attend networking events and practice introducing yourself with an elevator pitch about what you do

These options are free or low-cost ways to develop your public speaking skills. I also recommend recording yourself speaking so you can observe your habits around speech patterns and body language. Research from UCLA shows that body language accounts for 55% of communication effectiveness.

If you're doing these two things well, you'll be way ahead of the curve in public speaking skill development. However, I've included additional tips to help you become a more confident public speaker.

Essential Public Speaking Techniques

1. Tell Them Three Times

This simple three-part structure works with literally any speaking activity, from keynotes to board meetings:

a) Tell them what you're going to tell them - Too many public speakers jump into their main topic immediately and lose their audience. This introduction step previews your main idea and the progression you'll follow.

b) Tell them - This is straightforward: the main content of your message, including stories, concepts, data, and arguments.

c) Tell them what you told them - Summarize what you covered, highlighting core ideas you want your audience to remember.

This framework helps organize your message when content preparation feels overwhelming.

2. Connect with One Person

Most public speakers feed off crowd energy. But what if your audience is quiet or hard to read? Typically, there's at least one person in every group who asks more questions and tends to be more engaged. Don't hesitate to use this person for illustrations or turn to face them occasionally. This can significantly boost your confidence as a public speaker, and others often catch their energy. If possible, chat with people before the event and ask if you can use them for examples. This principle also works with overly skeptical people if you're comfortable engaging them.

3. Have an Anchor Line

This is a catchy statement that summarizes your talk's overarching idea. Not only does it help cement the concept in your audience's minds, but it also helps you if you get lost during your presentation. Don't be afraid to repeat this line several times. You'll feel like a broken record, but most people won't remember all the times you used it.

Bonus Tip: You Don't Have to Be Funny

This may be controversial, as many public speaking experts emphasize humor's importance in connecting with audiences. While humor can be incredibly effective when used correctly, I don't believe it's necessary for every public speaker. Instead, I encourage authenticity. When writing or preparing, go with what comes naturally to you or statements with a proven track record in your presentations. I've had many talks derailed because I felt pressure to add humor that didn't come naturally to me. If humor emerges during preparation, great. If not, don't worry and focus on your strengths as a public speaker. Are you a storyteller? Can you challenge your audience and provoke their attention? Are you skilled at explaining complex topics simply? Lean into your natural abilities.

Growing as a Speaker: Embrace the Journey

To return to something I mentioned earlier: "If you have to speak and you're not nervous beforehand, you should sit down because you have nothing important to say." Confidence isn't the absence of anxiousness. Growing as a public speaker starts with embracing nervousness and being okay with looking foolish. The interesting thing is that when you make mistakes, many people won't notice, or it won't be as pronounced for them as it felt for you. Psychological research on the "spotlight effect" confirms that people overestimate how much others notice their mistakes. Furthermore, most people want to see you succeed as a public speaker.

As a leadership coach, I not only equip leaders with essential skills like public speaking, but I also help them approach their mindset and beliefs. This is a huge component of speaking in front of others. If you'd like to take your leadership and confidence to the next level, I'd welcome a conversation about coaching and how it can help you develop as a public speaker.

Go ahead and book a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call to start the process!